Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has noted a number of times that any act of violence, regardless who is standing behind the violence, is unacceptable to us. Recently, society witnessed operative and effective arrest of participants of incidents that took place outside Parliament and Sh. Rustaveli Theatre by Georgian authorities. GYLA hopes that the authorities will be equally operative in investigating and punishing those who took part in the violent dispersion of peaceful protestors outside the Tbilisi police headquarters on June 15.
2009-06-15 20:00 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) condemns physical abuse of journalist Nato Gogelia, Guria News newspaper, which took place at Chokhatauri police department of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and believes that it was a direct result of impunity syndrome existing in relation with infringements of the law by police officers.
2009-06-11 20:00 See moreOn June 1 Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) congratulated the inmates of Penitentiary Department’s Juvenile Detention Centre (the so-called Avchala Colony) on the International Children’s Day.Lawyers of GYLA summarized importance of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child to the juvenile offenders and clarified children’s rights stipulated in the national legislation.
2009-06-05 20:00 See moreAt the modern stage of human development, speed of environment degradation has reached unprecedented scales. As UN assesses, degradation of environment is one of the important factors endangering world peace; hence, UN included preservation of global ecosystem and biodiversity in its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), linking the issue with democracy development, poverty eradication and preservation of human welfare. Progressive society, well-aware of existing threats, has attached greatest importance to environment protection in the 21st century.
2009-06-04 20:00 See moreHuman rights protection and effective ensuring has been the most significant direction of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) ever since it was founded. Helping ordinary citizens restore rights breached by the state remains to be one of the main priorities of GYLA. In its statement released on May 7, 2009 GYLA announced its position and clarified that under the Law on Police of Georgian Legislation police used unlawful means to disperse the rally held on May 6 outside police department.
2009-05-27 20:00 See moreIn response to the proclamation made by certain leaders of the opposition on complete blockage of the railway station and the airport, Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) expresses its concern, as the noted action may cross legal boundaries.Constitution of Georgia protects freedom of assembly and manifestation; more specifically, under Article 25 of the Constitution “everyone, except members of the armed forces and Ministry of Internal Affairs, has the right to public assembly without arms either indoors or outdoors without prior permission”.Despite its particular importance in the process of formation of democratic and pluralistic society, freedom of assembly and manifestation doesn’t fall under the category of absolute rights and may be limited if it conflicts with other legitimate interests.Under Article 9 of the Law of Georgia on Assembly and Manifestation, “holding a rally or a manifestation is forbidden in... railway stations, airports, hospitals, diplomatic establishments and within 20 meter radius from these territories... complete blocking of entrances to these facilities is not allowed.”GYLA calls for protecting law supremacy and acting within frames of and in accordance with the law.
2009-05-26 20:00 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) condemns incident that occurred on May 25, at 03:05am when an explosive device was blown up by the entrance of the television company.Regrettably, lately practice of violence and pressure against journalists in Georgia has gradually developed into an alarming trend.GYLA assesses the explosion at Maestro TV as an offensive infringement of freedom of expression and an attempt to terrorize journalists, which at the same time was particularly life threatening.
2009-05-24 20:00 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) condemns incident that occurred on May 25, at 03:05am when an explosive device was blown up by the entrance of the television company.Regrettably, lately practice of violence and pressure against journalists in Georgia has gradually developed into an alarming trend.
2009-05-24 20:00 See moreGYLA comments on the events developed at the MIA Tbilisi police headquarters on 6 May 2009 and unequivocally condemns the fact that the police used equipment, not envisaged by the legislation, against the demonstrators.It is clearly seen from the videos released by the media that many of the demonstrators sustained bodily injuries as a result of plastic bullets. Moreover, as asserted by the Public Defender of Georgia and some other eyewitnesses, the members of MIA Special Forces mobilized at the police headquarters were also throwing stones at the demonstrators.
2009-05-10 20:00 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) comments on the recent developments in the capital and considers that emerged situation often violates the established legal framework. The increased acts of violence committed against citizens and journalists, unidentified persons’ retaliation against the demonstrators, inaction of the police with respect to those facts and physical and/or moral insult of the peaceful demonstrators from the side of the high officials of the Ministry of Interior supports the above conclusion. Considering the emerged situation GYLA,Urges the authorities to immediately investigate each and every individual case of attacks against the demonstrators. So far Georgian authorities have failed to take any effective measures to establish the identity of those responsible. Thus, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association expresses objective suspicion that those complicit are acting with the support, incitement or consent of the representatives of the authorities. Urges the opposition to ensure that its individual supporters act in accordance with law. At the same time, GYLA reminds the opposition that it is unacceptable to intervene with the work of the journalists or to use violence against media representatives. It is true notwithstanding how much intolerable is for the opposition and demonstrators the information disseminated or interpreted by media sources.Urges the media to cover current events in an objective, prompt and precise manner. At the same time, the media ought to act with particular attentiveness when reporting or interpreting concrete facts. It is true that the journalist shall not carry burden of proof with respect to the truthfulness of his or her evaluative statements. However, the journalist’s primary responsibility is to objectively cover facts and events and also to ensure presumption of innocence of concrete individuals.
2009-04-28 20:00 See more